PhotoPlus X2 User Guide - Serif

136 Layers and Masks
• To link layers, select multiple layers and choose Link Layers from the Layers
menu (or right-click in the Layers tab).
• To rearrange layers, select the layer(s) in the Layers tab and drag up or down.
A red line “drop target” appears between layers as you drag. Drop the layer(s)
on a target to relocate in the stack.
• To merge layers together into one, right click and choose Merge Down
(merges into layer below), Merge Visible (merges only visible layers), Merge
Selected Layers (merges currently selected layers), or Merge All (to flatten all
layers into one).
Using layer groups
For greater management and
efficiency it is possible to place selected
layers into a pre-defined group, created
with the New Layer Group button in the
Layers tab.
In the example opposite, the highlighted
“Beach Only” group contains two
transparent standard layers called “Beach”
and “Surfer Girl”.
Alternatively, you can select multiple layers and add them to a new unnamed
group by selecting either New Layer Group from Selected Layers or Group
Layers on the Layers menu. There are many reasons why you might want to use
groups in addition to layers. Here are a few...
• To create a self-contained group of layers which are all related, e.g. all the Text
Layers used in your photo.
• To collect layers together which make up a specific photo feature, e.g. the
beach components of a seaside shot.
• To make a mask or blend apply to only specific layers, i.e. those that contained
within a group.
• To apply changes to a group that you would otherwise have to apply to each
layer in turn—thus improving efficiency.